Women's Ministry

Ministers's wives
conference 2001

By Marge Friddle

LOS ANGELES, California—The Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles was the site for the fourth annual Ministers’ Wives Conference, Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, sponsored by Jannice May, founder of Connecting and Bonding, and wife of Curtis May, district superintendent.

Connecting and Bonding is an organization Jannice formed to minister to ministers’ wives.

One hundred nine women attended—97 from the United States, six from Canada, three from the United Kingdom, one from Martinique, one from the Bahamas and one from St. Lucia. Seventeen volunteers worked long hours before and during the conference to make it a success.

Jannice opened the conference Friday evening, Aug. 31, and welcomed the first guest speaker, Kathleen Hart.

Kathleen is an active cheerleader for the Worldwide Church of God. She is chaplain to student wives at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena.

She spoke on "The Seasons of Our Lives," instructing us in how to deal with changes in our lives by continually looking to Jesus.

Tammy Tkach, women’s ministry coordinator and wife of the pastor general, opened Saturday’s session and spoke on "Who Am I?" Tammy related how each of us is handpicked by God. She explained that we are new creatures, an expression of the life of Christ, chosen and appointed by him to bear his fruit, and we are heirs of God.

She taught us the importance of contemplative prayer—silence with God—picturing ourselves sitting right beside Jesus, perhaps leaning on him, feeling his heartbeat, or kneeling at his feet with tears, knowing how much he loves us.

Next was Naomi Beard, adjunct professor at The King’s College and Seminary and a member of the pastoral staff of The Church on The Way, pastored by Jack Hayford. In two sessions she spoke on breaking out of our mold, becoming leaders and how to face many challenges that come in ministry.

Saturday afternoon was sharing time as four speakers gave their stories. This was followed by small groups of women meeting together and learning more about each other.

Then a session of "Let’s Talk" was moderated by Susie Dick, wife of Randal Dick, superintendent of missions.

Sunday morning’s guest speaker was H.B. London, from Focus on the Family. He has been an ordained minister since 1962 and is the author of several books. He is a pastor to ministers and their families and has spoken at ministerial conferences in Pasadena.

He instructed us on what our approach to ministry should be, challenges we will face and have already faced, and reassured us that we serve a God of inexhaustible resources. We can depend on God.

Sylvia Frejd, daughter of Kathleen Hart and worship leader for the conference, gave a session on prayer and using a prayer journal to make our prayer life more meaningful.

Linda Riley, author of A Call to Love, founder of Called Together Ministries and writer on family ministry issues, was the final speaker.

She showed how we are God’s ambassadors of love to the world and how much we can help others by loving them.

The conference closed with a communion service.

Jannice May

Barbara Edwards
Worship dance

CONFERENCE ATTENDEES—From left: Doreatha Davis, Vicki Hart, Jannice May, Dee Beam, Gail Stoddart, Nancy Silcox and Sharie Meyer.

Virginia Rice, Dell Hanson, Tina Sullivan, Joan Backhus, Barb Dahlgren and Lela Duncan.

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2001